Mohan,VMathur, PDeepa, RDeepa, MShukla, DKMenon, GRAnand, KDesai, NGJoshi, PPMahanta, JThankappan, KRShah, B2015-07-292015-07-292008Diabetes Res. 80;1;159-68. doi: 10.1016/j.diabres.2007.11.018. Epub 2008 Jan 30.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18237817https://dspace.sctimst.ac.in/handle/123456789/2575Recent reports show strikingly high prevalence of diabetes among urban Asian Indians; however, there are very few studies comparing urban, peri-urban and rural prevalence rates of diabetes and their risk factors at the national level. This study is a part of the national non-communicable diseases (NCD) risk factor surveillance conducted in different geographical locations (North, South, East, West/Central) in India between April 2003 and March 2005. A total of 44,523 individuals (age: 15-64 years) inclusive of 15,239 from urban, 15,760 from peri-urban/slum and 13,524 from rural areas were recruited. Major risk factors were studied using modified WHO STEPS approach. Diabetes was diagnosed based on self-reported diabetes diagnosed by a physician. The lowest prevalence of self-reported diabetes was recorded in rural (3.1%) followed by peri-urban/slum (3.2%) and the highest in urban areas (7.3%, odds ratio (OR) for urban areas: 2.48, 95% confidence interval (CI): 2.21-2.79, p<0.001). Urban residents with abdominal obesity and sedentary activity had the highest prevalence of self-reported diabetes (11.3%) while rural residents without abdominal obesity performing vigorous activity had the lowest prevalence (0.7%). In conclusion, this nation-wide NCD risk factor surveillance study shows that the prevalence of self-reported diabetes is higher in urban, intermediate in peri-urban and lowest in rural areas. Urban residence, abdominal obesity and physical inactivity are the risk factors associated with diabetes in this study.Public HealthUrban rural difference in prevalence of self reported diabetes in India – The WHO - ICMR Indian NCD risk factor Surveillance.